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Author Archives: Irene Yung

I was really blessed to attend Jan’s memorial service and post-service party. It was great to meet some of her friends and family. I am thankful to have like-hearted people to mourn with and of course Jan’s grandkids are always a delight. Thank you to Matt, Stephanie, and Joe for arranging and sharing your lives, homes and families with me.

We had the privilege of spending Mother’s Day with three generations of Jan’s family. As I sat across the table from Jan and her kids, it struck me that what used to be routine is now precious: enjoying a meal all together. I caught this picture of Joe, Matt, Jan, and Stephanie:

I’ve known Jan for about two decades and have seen her care and love for my sister (Matt’s wife) and their family. When Delphine and Matt would go out-of-town, Jan could handle four young grandkids all on her own, an ability she likely acquired from raising three children on her own for many years.

Jan, you’ve obviously done a terrific job as a mother and grandmother, and I’m blessed to witness your legacy in the lives of your family.

Jan says treatment is making her so dehydrated that she gets Farmer Face. “The people at work were always getting after me for talking over the cubicles. I got a lot of notoriety for talking and making noise. ‘I promise I’ll change!'” Her forced quietude gives way to smiles like this after tea or water.

Well, Delphine called me this afternoon to find out how Jan could blog from her own account and to say she is back in the ER. Bummer.

I took Aleta to visit Jan yesterday and we got to eavesdrop on a doctor visit, play in her room a little, and join her for lunch. Jan insisted on having clam chowder brought for me as well, and a Sprite for Aleta.

While we were sitting there, Jan got a surprise visit from a dear old friend and neighbor, Fi. This is Fi’s daughter Anna because Fi (Jan, you can correct my spelling) is too camera shy.

(You can see her hands behind Anna.)

Over Delphine’s phone call to me, Jan related that she had another visitor yesterday and made a comment about lunch service that demonstrated to me that, as of 2pm today, Jan was her normal spirited self. 😉

Jan says she got duped. She thought it was a Diet Coke but it was barium. Boo. She is on a fluid restriction of 800 mL/day. I told her it’s what they had Curious George drink when he went to the hospital for eating the jigsaw puzzle piece. So this is Jan giving the barium the evil eye.

And here are some of her Christmas Eve visiters.

And here is the Diet Coke:

Also, Del gave Jan a pedicure recently:

She just got wheeled away for a CT scan. Before doing so, she requested her Diet Coke bar coded and secured. I love her priorities. “I don’t need a purse anymore. I don’t need hair,” she said. “Merry Christmas from (which hospital am I at?) Virginia Mason!”